The 50 bells that make up the Carillon were a gift from the people of the Netherlands to the people of the United States in gratitude for assistance during World War II. After first arriving in 1954, the bells were temporarily hung in West Potomac Park. A new, permanent tower was built for them across the Potomac, and they were installed in their current position in 1960.

The bronze alloy bells are hung in a tower 127 feet high (and no, it's not open for climbing, unfortunately). And while you can't see them up close, each of the bells is inscribed with symbols of aspects of Dutch society as well as poetry by Dutch poet Ben van Eysselsteijn.

During the spring, there's a large flower garden at its base featuring, naturally enough, tulips. And you can hear the bells ringing in automated concerts throughout the day and chiming the hour. During the summer there are free, live concerts every Saturday evening (6 to 8pm) as well as special holiday concerts on Memorial Day and Labor Day (both at 2pm to 4pm). You can find more information here.

Photos of the Netherlands Carillon

Silhouette of one of the sphinxes at the base of the Carillon.

A sphinx overlooks the tulip garden in the spring. You can also see the Washington Monument standing in the distance.

A colorful range of tulips bloom in the spring.

The view from the base of the Carillon looking east towards the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and US Capitol Building. With this view and a sloping lawn that can fit a lot of people, it's a very popular spot for viewing the July 4th fireworks on the National Mall.

It reads: "From the people of the Netherlands to the people of the United States o America."

360° Virtual Tours of the Netherlands Carillon

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Ultra-High Resolution Panorama of the Netherlands Carillon

Here's an ultra-high resolution panorama (2.6 gigapixels) that allows you to zoom in considerably to see details, including the etchings on some of the bells.

David Coleman Photography

I’m a professional travel & location photographer based in Washington DC and traveling all over. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between. You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com. Or check out what’s in my go-to travel photography kit.

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